Sensitive and Rapid Method for Candidatus Liberibacter Species Detection

ABSTRACT

DNA amplification methods using novel primers obtained from the novel genes hyv I  and hyv II  from the  Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus  genome are useful for detecting Ca. L. species in plants and insect hosts.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/514,315 filed Aug. 2, 2011 the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

This invention relates to DNA amplification methods including improved real-time PCR detection methods, for the detection of Candidatus Liberibacter species from citrus and psyllid hosts. It also relates to novel DNA sequences, novel primers and probes made from the novel DNA sequences, and to kits containing said primers and reagents for the DNA amplification methods for the detection of Candidatus Liberibacter species.

Description of the Related Art

Citrus huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening, is a destructive disease that was first noted in the early 20^(th) century in China (Zhao, Proc. Intl. Soc. Citriculture I, 466-469, 1981). This disease has spread throughout the global citrus producing regions, and has recently invaded North America, with first detection in Florida in 2005 (Knighten et al., USDA Departmental Release, Sep. 2, 2005). Three fastidious α-Proteobacteria species of Candidatus Liberibacter, Ca. L. asiaticus, Ca. L. americanus, and Ca. L. africanus (Bove, J. Plant Pathology, Volume 88, 7-37, 2006; Gottwald et al., Plant Health Program. Published online 2007) are associated with HLB. These bacteria have been shown to reside within sieve tube cells of infected plants (Tatineni et al., Phytopathology, Volume 98, 592-599, 2008) and to be vectored by psyllids, Diaphorina citri (Halbert and Manjunath, Florida Entomologist, Volume 87, 330-353, 2004) and Trioza erytreae (Bove et al., 2006 supra; McClean and Oberholzer, S. Afr. J. Agri. Sci, Volume 8, 297-298, 1965; McClean, Phytophylactica, Volume 6, 45-54, 1974).

Although HLB presents systemically, low titer and uneven distribution of the HLB bacteria within infected plants (Tatineni et al, 2008, supra; Teixeira et al., Mol. Cell. Probes, Volume 22, 139-150, 2008; Li et al., Phytopathology, Volume 99, 139-144, 2009) can make reliable detection difficult. As such, many methods have been developed including biological indexing using graft and dodder transmission (Gottwald et al., 2007, supra), light or electronmicroscopy (Bove, 2006, supra), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (Okuda et al., Plant Disease, Volume 89, 705-711, 2005), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (Jagoueix et al., Mol. Cell. Probes, Volume 10, 43-50, 1996; Hung et al., J. Phytopathology, Volume 147, 599-604, 1999; Tian et al., Proc. Conf. Int. Org. Cirus Virol., Volume 13, 252-257, 1996), and real-time PCR (Teixeria et al., Mol. Cell. Probes, Volume 22, 139-150, 2008; Li et al., Phytopathology, Volume 99, 139-144, 2009; Li et al., Plant Disease, Volume 92, 854-861, 2008; Li et al., Plant Diesease, Volume 91, 51-58, 2007; Li et al., J. Microbiol. Methods, Volume 66, 104-115, 2006; Wang et al., Plant Pathology, Volume 55, 630-638, 2006) to detect these Ca. Liberibacter bacteria. However, these detection methods are typically diagnostic only after HLB associated phenotypic symptoms are observable. Furthermore, the etiology of HLB remains, to a large extent, undefined.

Currently real-time PCR has become the preferred detection method of Liberibacter species (Teixeira et al., 2008, supra; Li et al., 2009, supra; Li et al., 2008, supra; Li et al., 2007, supra; Li et al., 2006, supra; Wang et al., 2006, supra). Relative to conventional PCR, real-time PCR offers both sensitive and rapid detection of these bacteria. Real-time PCR is reported to increase the sensitivity for Liberibacter detection by 10 times relative to nested PCR (Teixeira et al., 2008, supra) and 100 to 1,000 times relative to conventional PCR (Teixeira et al., 2008, supra; Wang et al., 2006, supra) for these bacteria. These real-time PCR methods target genes with low copy number; three copy 16S rDNA (Li et al., 2006 supra), single copy β-operon (Teixeira et al, 2008, supra) or single copy elongation factor Ts (EF-Ts) (Lin et al., J. Microbiol. Methods, Volume 81, 17-25, 2010). The reported real-time PCR low threshold limits are approximately ten gene copies for 16S rDNA and β-operon methods (Teixeira et al., 2008, supra; Li et al., 2008, supra), with elongation factor Ts (single closed tube dual primer) reporting single gene copy detectability (Lin et al., 2010, supra). However, current PCR detection methods can miss the targeted DNA for amplification because the Ca. Liberibacter bacteria can exist at extremely low titer in their host plant and insect.

While various methods for detecting Ca. Liberibacter species have been developed, there remains a need in the art for a method for detecting extremely low titer levels of Ca. Liberibacter species. The present invention described below includes a sensitive and rapid new method for detecting Ca. Liberibacter species as well novel DNA sequences; and primers and probes made from these novel sequences which are different from related art methods and primers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide novel sequences having SEQ ID NO.: 25 and SEQ ID NO.: 30 from the genome of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus and to provide novel primers designed from SEQ ID NO.: 25 to detect the presence of Candidatus Liberibacter species in a plant or insect host using DNA amplification methods.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sensitive and rapid real-time PCR method to detect the presence of Candidatus Liberibacter species in a plant or insect host wherein the method uses a primer having SEQ ID NO.: 1.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a sensitive and rapid real-time PCR method to detect the presence of Candidatus Liberibacter species in a plant or insect host wherein the method uses a primer having SEQ ID NO.: 2.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a sensitive and rapid real-time PCR method to detect the presence of Candidatus Liberibacter species in a plant or insect host using primers designed from SEQ ID NO.: 25.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sensitive and rapid real-time PCR method to detect the presence of Candidatus Liberibacter species in a plant or insect host wherein the method uses a probe with a primer having SEQ ID NO.: 3.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a sensitive and rapid real-time PCT method to detect the presence of Candidatus Liberibacter species in a plant or insect host wherein said method uses a dual labeled probe with a primer having SEQ ID NO.: 3.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a sensitive and rapid real-time PCR method to detect the presence of Candidatus Liberibacter species in a plant or insect host with a detector molecule wherein said detector molecule is a fluorescence reporter dye.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a kit for detecting Candidatus Liberibacter species in a plant or insect host wherein said kit comprises at least one primer designed from SEQ ID NO: 25.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a kit for detecting Candidatus Liberibacter species in a plant or insect host wherein said kit comprises a detector molecule.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a kit for detecting Candidatus Liberibacter species in a plant or insect host wherein said kit comprises a detector molecule wherein said detector molecule is an intercalation dye.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a kit for detecting Candidatus Liberibacter species in a plant or insect host wherein said kit comprises a detector molecule wherein said detector molecule is a dual labeled probe having a primer

A still further object of the present invention is to provide novel primers for use in a method for detecting Candidatus Liberibacter species wherein the primers are selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO.: 1, SEQ ID NO.: 2, SEQ ID NO.:3 and mixtures thereof.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel probe for use in a method for detecting Candidatus Liberibacter species wherein said probe includes a primer having SEQ ID NO.: 3.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a schematic drawing showing hyv_(I) and hyv_(II) gene repeat sequence schematic with light and dark grey boxed representing full and partial repeat sequences, respectively. The arrow direction indicates gene orientation.

FIG. 1B shows the 100 base pair (bp) double stranded amplicon sequence of the LJ900f and LJ900r primers as bolded sequenced respectively.

FIG. 2 A-D are graphs showing representative dilution, melt and efficiency curves for LJ900fr by Quanta Biosciences Perfecta™ SYBR® Green FastMix™ master-mix on an ABI 7500 Fast real-time PCR machine, respectively. FIG. 2A is a serial dilution of the pLJ153.1 (single repeat containing plasmid) in water ranging from approximately 10⁶ to 1 repeat copy tested by LJ900fr indication detection at each dilution. FIG. 2B is a melt curve of LJ900fr indicating a characteristic melt profile obtained on the ABI 7500 Fast real-time PCR machine with SYBR Green 1. FIGS. 2C and 2D are molecular standard curves in water (FIG. 2C) and with approximately 50 ng levels of background Ca. L. asiaticus negative citrus DNA (FIG. 2D), showing the optimized efficiency of LJ900fr at approximately 100% and R² at approximately 0.999 for each.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are photographs of a 2.5% agarose gel image of singleplex LJ900fr (FIG. 3A) and multiplex LJ900fpr with COXfrp (FIG. 3B) indicating amplicon products of single 100 bp (LJ900fpr) or 68 bp (COXfpr) bands. Lanes 11 and 12 (FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B gels) are Ca. L. asiaticus negative citrus controls.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing equivalent sample melt curve analyses using GoTaq® real-time PCR Master Mix (Promega) and Perfecta™ SYBR® Green FastMix™ (Quanta) 2× master mixes using ABI Fast 7500 real-time PCR system, indicating the relative intensity of the Promega melt peak being more than twice that of the Quanta.

FIG. 5 shows the pLJ153.1 hyv_(I) gene sequence (single repeat), S1164 bases excerpt-SEQ ID NO.: 24.

FIG. 6 shows pLJ108.1 hyv_(I) gene sequence (Full repeat), 2760 bases (excerpt)-SEQ ID NO.: 25.

FIG. 7 shows pLJ396.2 hyv_(II) gene sequence (2 full and 4 partial repeat), 1371 bases (excerpt)-SEQ ID NO.: 30.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes novel DNA sequences SEQ ID NO.:25 and SEQ ID NO.:30 from the genome of Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus, primers designed from the novel DNA sequence, to methods of DNA amplification using the novel primers and to sensitive, rapid, cost effective methods for detecting the presence of the citrus Huanglongbing (HLB) associated bacteria from host plant and insect vectors. It provides methods to test for the presence of Ca. Liberibacter species using DNA amplification methods including (but not limited to) quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Novel primers for use in DNA amplification methods include, for example, sensitive primers, LJ900 series (Table 1 below), designed against the multi-repeat region, up to approximately 15 repeats, within two unique genes of Ca. Liberibacter species relative to the current 16S rDNA based identification procedure.

The invention can be used to identify trees or insects that are infected with Ca. L. species. The ability to readily identify an organism infected with or carrying Ca. L. species will allow for treatment regimens and disease management strategies implemented in emerging disease areas and can be used for highly sensitive site monitoring of disease progression.

Isolation of DNA for Ca. Liberibacter detection involves highly labor-intensive and lengthy purification protocols via either commercially available DNA isolation kits or traditional DNA extraction methodologies e.g. phenol. Compounding the difficulty for Ca. Liberibacter detection is its uneven distribution of bacteria within the host plants. Two prophage regions of the Ca. L asiaticus Psy2 genome were found that contained a large number of phage-related genes (Duan et al., Mol. Plant Mcirobe. Interac., Volume 22, 1011-1020, 2009; Zhang et al., Mol. Plant Microbe. Interact., Volume 24, 458-468, 2011). Based on cloning and sequencing of a 3513 bp DNA fragment (cloning ID pLJ108) from one of the prophage regions, one gene containing multiple nearly identical tandem repeats (NITRs) was identified and named hyv_(I). The hyv_(I) gene is approximately 2,760 bp long (SEQ ID NO.: 25) and putatively encodes a 919 amino acid acidic protein that has a pI of approximately 4.54 with a molecular weight of approximately 103.5 kDa. Using Tandem repeats Finder (Benson, Nucleic Acids Res., Volume 27, 573-580, 1999) and manual arrangements; the intragenic tandem repeat region was identified in the hyv_(I) gene. This region includes approximately 12 full NITRs and approximately 4 partial tandem repeats. Each full repeat is of approximately 132 bp, with three partial repeats of approximately 48 bp sitting between full repeats 6 and 7, 8 and 9, and 10 and 11. There is an additional approximately 33 bp repeat at the 3′ end of the entire tandem repeat region (FIG. 1). The partial repeat sequences are nearly identical to the first 48 or 33 bp of the 132 bp-full repeat. The similarity among 12 full repeats within the hyv_(I) gene was approximately 93-100% at the nucleic acid level (FIG. 1) and approximately 82-100% at the putative protein level (FIG. 2). Based on the hyv_(I) gene sequence, the hyv_(II) gene (SEQ ID NO.: 30) was identified from another prophage region-Psy62-FP2:38, 551 bp; Accession number JF773396 of the Ca. L asiaticus Psy62 genome. The hyv_(II) gene is an approximately 1,026 bp and putatively encodes an approximately 341 amino acid acidic protein with having a pI of approximately 5.1 and a molecular weight of approximately 38.9 kDa. In Ca. L. asiaticus Psy 62 genome, hyv_(II) only contained one partial repeat unit and shared approximately 92% identity with hyv_(I) on downstream (outside) 3′ end of the repeat unit. However, based on hyv_(II) gene sequencing cloned from global origin isolates including different host of Ca. L asiaticus in Florida, the repeat number in hyv_(II) gene can be up to 2 full, 4 partial in Florida isolate (FIG. 1) or 3 full, 3 partial repeats in Thailand isolates.

The recent sequencing of the Ca. L. asiaticus genome by the inventors using a metagenomics approach (Duan et al., Mol. Plant Microbe Interact., Volume 22, 1011-1020, 2009), has revealed two unique hypothetical genes located within a prophage region of the genome that are designated as hyv_(I) (YP_003084345.1 [and hyv_(II) (HQ263713). These genes contain multiple nearly identical tandem-repeat sequences of approximately 132 base pairs (bp) for each full-length repeat (Zhou et al., Appl. Environ., Microbiol, Volume 77, 6663-6673, 2011).

As real-time PCR allows amplification and detection of shorter target sequences, the approximately 100 bp core sequence of each repeat (FIG. 1) provides ideal targets for development of sensitive real-time PCR methods using both SYBR Green 1 (LJ900fr) and TaqMan® (LJ900fpr) chemistries. As hyv_(I)/hyv_(II) may contain up to a combined fifteen nearly identical repeats (FIG. 1), targeting these repeats provides a significantly increased probability for Ca. L asiaticus detection in both plant and insect hosts. The present invention uses the nearly identical approximately 132 bp tandem-repeats of two Ca. L. asiaticus prophage genes for real-time PCR. The invention improves the detection sensitivity and reliability of Ca. L. asiaticus using either SYBR Green 1 (LJ900fr) or TaqMan® (LJ900fpr) compared with prior art of real-time PCR methods.

Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is an existing research technique that utilizes specifically engineered DNA sequences (two primers and a fluorescently labeled probe such as, for example, a TaqMan based detection or SYBR Green 1 for intercalation dye detection) to detect and quantify target sequences of DNA. For TaqMan based detection, the probe contains a fluorescent reporter dye on one end and a quencher dye on the other (Table 1). For TaqMan detection during each amplification cycle the probe (SEQ ID NO.: 3) attaches along with the primers (SEQ ID NO 1 and SEQ ID NO 2) to the target sequence of DNA to be copied. As the DNA strand is copied, the reporter dye is released from the probe sequence and then emits a fluorescent signal. The amount of fluorescence increases with each PCR cycle in proportion to the amount of target DNA amplified. This results in direct detection and quantification of the target DNA sequence with a high degree of specificity, accuracy, and sensitivity.

Sets of DNA primers and DNA probes that are specific for Ca. L. species were developed for molecular detection and semi-quantification of Ca. L. species with DNA amplification methods including real-time PCR technology (Table 1). One of ordinary skill in the art, given the detailed description of the present invention can make any primer for use in DNA amplification methods using DNA sequences for SEQ ID NO.: 25 and SEQ ID NO.: 30. The present invention includes any primer made from DNA sequences SEQ ID NO.: 25 and SEQ ID NO.: 30 that is specific for detecting Ca. L. species in plants and insect hosts. Specificity of the primers and probes can be and was assessed using non Ca. L. asiaticus infected citrus and psyllid populations as well as citrus infected with Ca. L. asiaticus (Tables 2 and 3). The sensitivity of this assay was determined to be able to detect single copy levels of hyv_(I) or hyv_(II) within a given sample.

In the present invention the DNA amplification methods are coupled with a modified boil DNA isolation (De Barro et al., Austral. J. Entomol., Volume 36, 149-152, 1997, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety) that significantly reduces the DNA harvest cost associated with typical high throughput sample processing. Below is the method for the boil DNA isolation:

Make 50 mL “Cell Lysis/DNA Isolation Buffer”:

Add: 2.5 mL of 1 M KCl

-   -   2.5 mL of 1 M Tris buffer at pH 8.4     -   225 μL of Tween 20     -   225 μL of NP-40, Nonidet P 40 substitute, or equivalent     -   ddH₂O up to 50 mL total volume (˜44.55 mL)

Filter Sterilize 0.2 μm filter into a sterile container and store at room temperature

Processing Step by Step as Follows:

-   -   1. Obtain plant sample (˜0.01 g or less is all that is required         from such a sample we have detected positive samples out to 10⁻⁷         dilutions by this method)     -   2. Place plant sample into sterilized 2 mL tubes containing         (sterile) steel shot/shards and add 100 μL filter sterile “cell         lysis/DNA isolation buffer”     -   3. Disrupt/homogenize tissue to break up plant material     -   4. Pipette off 90-100 μL of buffer (do not worry about         carry-over plant materials at this stage) and transfer into a         sterile PCR tube and close the cap     -   5. Place PCR tube into PCR thermal cycler and incubate at 95         degrees C. for 5 minutes (lid at 105 degrees C.)     -   6. After PCR incubation place tube onto ice for 5 minutes     -   7. Transfer buffer from centrifuge tube to an alternate sterile         micro-centrifuge tube and centrifuge at max speed for 1 min (or         until all plant materials are pelleted)     -   8. Pull off supernatant and put into a sterile labeled tube     -   9. The sample is now ready for use with the LJ900 Series qPCR         reactions or for long term storage at −80 degrees C.         NOTE: This method is not compatible with TaqMan qPCR reactions         and only works with SYBR Green 1 (intercalation dye) qPCR         methods. Also a 95 degrees C. water bath may substitute for the         PCR thermal cycler herein the described ‘boil method’.

Samples are obtained from material to be tested, for example a piece of tissue from a citrus tree or psyllid, and is then processed to extract polynucleotide's from the sample, particularly polynucleotide's from target organisms that may be present in the material. After extraction and processing according to methods described herein or otherwise known in the art, the sample is treated with reagents that comprise the primer SEQ ID NO.: 1, primer SEQ ID NO.: 2, or SEQ ID NO.: 1, SEQ ID NO.: 2, and SEQ ID NO.: 3, sample DNA and either Perfect SYBR Fastmix or similar nucleic acid intercalating or nucleic acid binding reagent or TaqMan or similar reagent. The sample is then processed according to real-time PCR amplification methods. The product is first amplified using the primers. Binding of a labeled probe to a target sequence within the PCR product that corresponds with a target region in the genomic DNA of the contaminating microorganism, Ca. L. species, signals the presence of the Ca. L. species for the TaqMan reaction, or the intercalation of dye with the amplicon product by will signal the presence of Ca. L. species.

Therefore, the unique primers and real-time PCR technology ensured specific and sensitive detection for the presence of Ca. L. species, also these in combination with a modified boil DNA extraction method provide a rapid more cost effective identification for Ca. L species.

Statistical significances between comparative methods (LJ900, HLBaspr, STDP, etc.) were evaluated using single factor ANOVA at 95% (P=0.05) confidence interval with MS Excel 2007 (Microsoft, Redmond, Wash.), comparative data set values where P<0.05 were considered statistically significant.

The following examples are intended only to further illustrate the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Example 1

The hyv_(I) and hyv_(II) genes were identified by analyzing the PCR amplicons form psyllid 62 which was the genomic DNA source used to produce the Ca. L. asiaticus genomic sequence, was generated during the gap closing process of the Ca. L. asiaticus genome sequence study (Duan et al., Mol. Plant Microb Interact., 2009, supra, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety) and verified using BAC clones of Ca. L. asiaticus genome. Partial hyv_(I) amplicons were subsequently cloned into the pCR® 2.1-TOPO® cloning vector in accordance with manufacture protocol (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.) and sequenced. Clone LH153.1 was shown to contain a single repeat of a complete 132 bp segment.

New primers LJ900f (forward), LJ900r (reverse) and LJ900p TaqMan® probe (Table 1), were designed based on the tandem-repeats of hyv_(I)/hyv_(II) using OLIGO 7 Primer Analysis Software version 7.23 (Molecular Biology Insights, Cascade, Colo.) targeting an integral 100 bp core sequence of the approximately 132 bp repeat (FIG. 1). Table 1 TaqMan® probes were labeled 5′ with either 6-carboxyfluorescein (6-FAM™) or tetrachloro-6-carboxy-fluorescein (TET) reporters and 3′ with Iowa Black FQ or Black Hole Quencher (BHQ-2) quenchers. Integrated DNA technologies (IDT, Coralville, Iowa) synthesized all primers and probes used in this study (Table 1).

TABLE 1 PCR and real-time PCR primers Sequence (5′→3′) GCCGTTTTAACACAAAAGATGAATATC SEQ ID NO.: 1 LJ900f LJ900fr repeat sequence real-time PCR ATAAATCAATTTGTTCTAGTTTACGAC SEQ ID NO.: 2 LJ900r ^(a)ACATCTTTCGTTTGAGTAGCTAGATCATTGA^(b) SEQ ID NO.: 3 LJ900p LJ900fpr TaqMan ® real-time PCR probe CGGTGAATGTATTAAGCTGAGGCGTTCC SEQ ID NO.: 4 ACCCACAACAAAATGAGATACACCAACAACTTC SEQ ID NO.: 5 CGATTGGTGTTCTTGTAGCG SEQ ID NO.: 6 STDP (nested) real-time PCR AACAATAGAAGGATCAAGCATCT SEQ ID NO.: 7 ^(a)AATCACCGAAGGAGAAGCCAGCATTACA^(b) SEQ ID NO.: 8 TCGAGCGCGTATGCAATACG SEQ ID NO.: 9 GCGTTATCCCGTAGAAAAAGGTAG SEQ ID NO.: 10 HLBaspr real-time PCR ^(a)AGACGGGTGAGTAACGCG^(b) SEQ ID NO.: 11 CGAGCGCGTATTTTATACGAGCG SEQ ID NO.: 12 HLBafpr real-time PCR^(e) GAGCGAGTACGCAAGTACTAG SEQ ID NO.: 13 HLBampr real-time PCR^(e) GTATGCCACGTCGCATTCCAGA SEQ ID NO.: 14 GAATGCCCTTAGCAGTTTTGGC SEQ ID NO.: 15 COXfpr (multiplex) real-time PCR ^(c)ATCCAGATGCTTACGCTGG^(d) SEQ ID NO.: 16 ACTCCTACGGGAGGCAGCAG SEQ ID NO.: 17 Universal Eubacterial 16S real-time PCR ATTACCGCGGCTGCTGG SEQ ID NO.: 18 TCTACGRATTTCACCYCTAC SEQ ID NO.: 19 Universal α-proteobacteria real-time PCR^(f) GGACAAGGGGATATTGGATAATGATG SEQ ID NO.: 20 ′Ca. L. americanus′ β operon real-time PCR ATTAAGAGTTCTAAGCAACCTGACAG SEQ ID NO.: 21 CGCCCGTTTCCGTTGT SEQ ID NO.: 22 SYBR ® Green real-time PCR of ′Ca. L. asiaticus′ β operon AGCCTCTTTAAGCCCTAAATCAG SEQ ID NO.: 23 f = Forward, r = Reverse, p = TaqMan ® Probe ^(a)6-FAM ™, ^(b)Iowa Black FQ, ^(c)TET, ^(d) BHQ-2 ^(e)Use with common probe (HLBp) and reverse primer (HLBr) ^(f)ALF685_(f) is used in combination with EUB518_(r) universal 16S reverse primer

Example 2

A series of in silico evaluations of both LJ900f and LJ900r primers and LJ900p probe were done using the NCBI BLAST megablast algorithm parameters for highly similar sequence alignment against the nucleotide (nr/nt) database having either the Ca. L. asiaticus genome that either included or excluded in separate searches respectively for each. Additional specificity of these primers and probe was evaluated by real-time PCT against a variety of DNA extracts from plant pathogens, Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri, X. axonopodis pv. citrumelo, Ralstonia solanacearum, Escherichia coli DH5a, soil bacteria in USHRL (United State Horticulture Research Laboratory) Picos farm and the USHRL facility greenhouse maintained citrus varieties and from plants of proximal and distal locations indicating specificity for the LJ900 primers (f, r, p) to Ca. L. species bacteria.

The specificity of the LJ900 primers and probe was evaluated in real-time PCR reactions, as stated above, that returned no detectable cycle threshold values (data not shown). Also included within Table 2 are non-detectable hyv_(I)/hyv_(II) sample numbers 5, 10, 14, 22 (citrus varieties) and 30 (psyllid D. citri), each representative of a larger group of USHRL maintained citrus and psyllid populations having non-detectable Ct values by LJ900 testing (data not shown). Additionally, multiple LJ900 primer amplicon products from various Ca. L. asiaticus hosts were cloned and sequenced. These data indicate primer fidelity to the hyv_(I)/hyv_(II) target as each sequence from the clone libraries returned only target specific amplification of the repeated sequence (data not shown). In addition to these, greater than about one-hundred putative HLB negative DNA samples of multiple citrus varieties received as isolated DNA's form the USDA National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Citrus and Dates (Riverside, Calif.) indicated no detectable Ct values for all replicate samples, real-time PCR of total universal Eubacterial 16S rDNA and α-Proteobacteria populations was conducted, indicating average total 16S rDNA Ct values in the low to mid-teens with low thirty values for α-Proteobacteria analyses (data not shown). Table 3 DNA sample #29 (CA Rep. #67) represents these collective California LJ900 negative samples. All combined these data indicate specificity for hyv_(I)/hyv_(II) for LJ900 methods to specifically detect Ca. L. species, such as, for example, Ca. L. asiaticus and Ca. L. americanus.

TABLE 2 Detection of ‘hyv_(I)/hyv_(II)’ repeat by LJ900fr from citrus seedlings or seedling fed psyllids Sample LJ900fr Host # Name Ct value Tm degrees C. Pomelo 1 Pomelo G7 23.88 74.86 Pomelo 2 Pomelo H3 25.31 74.33 Pomelo 3 Pomelo H5 34.38 73.97 Pomelo 4 Pomelo E5 34.39 75.40 Pomelo 5 Pomelo F6 ND 63.43 Trifoliate 6 TF-#33 30.41 74.65 Trifoliate 7 TF-#31 31.22 74.65 Trifoliate 8 TF-#25 35.52 75.00 Trifoliate 9 TF-#32 36.48 75.35 Trifoliate 10 TF-#37 ND 63.41 Grapefruit 11 I-GF-Anti 07.31.09 #13 27.96 74.16 Grapefruit 12 I-GF-H₂0 07.20.09 #3 28.94 74.33 Grapefruit 13 I-GF-Anti 07.31.09 #8 36.46 75.04 Grapefruit 14 I-GF-Anti 07.31.09 #28 ND 63.41 Sweet Orange 15 I-SO-Anti 01.21.10 #17 29.47 74.51 Sweet Orange 16 1-SO-H₂O 01.21.10 #14 30.39 74.15 Sweet Orange 17 I-SO-H₂O 07.10.09 #10 30.60 75.02 Sweet Orange 18 I-SO-Anti 07.14.09 #10 31.27 74.11 Sweet Orange 19 I-SO-H₂O 07.10.09 #8 31.40 75.21 Sweet Orange 20 I-SO-Anti 07.14.09 #3 35.54 75.21 Sweet Orange 21 I-SO-Anti 07.14.09 #16 36.80 75.21 Sweet Orange 22 I-SO-Anti 01.21.10 #14 ND 63.61 Seedling fed psyllid (D. citri) 23 #22 14-6-11-5 28.29 74.80 Seedling fed psyllid (D. citri) 24 #23 14-6-11-5 30.86 74.99 Seedling fed psyllid (D. citri) 25 #34 14-6-11-5 31.82 75.35 Seedling fed psyllid (D. citri) 26 #21 14-6-11-5 34.17 75.44 Seedling fed psyllid (D. citri) 27 #31 14-6-11-5 34.62 75.35 Seedling fed psyllid (D. citri) 28 #14 14-6-11-5 34.84 74.80 Seedling fed psyllid (D. citri) 29 #3 14-6-11-5 35.35 74.62 Seedling fed psyllid (D. citri) 30 #4 14-6-11-5 ND 63.46 ND = No Detection

TABLE 3 Real-time PCR data comparison of hyv_(I)/hyv_(II) detection by LJ900fr, LJ900fpr, and HLBaspr Mean Ct value by Method ΔCt Sample (±St. dev. Mean Ct) LJ900fr − LJ900fpr − LJ900fpr − Citrus Host # Name LJ900fr LJ900fpr HLBaspr HLBaspr HLBaspr LJ900fr Blood Orange 1 R2T6 18.70^((±0.16)) 26.30^((±1.81)) 29.89^((±0.15)) −11.19 −3.59 −7.60 Trifoliate 2 09-002 27.26^((±0.29)) 32.76^((±4.71)) ND N/A N/A −5.50 Sour Orange 3 R7T6 19.31^((±0.17)) 26.29^((±0.18)) 30.26^((±0.13)) −10.95 −3.97 −6.98 Sweet Orange 4 R3T7-G 19.93^((±0.07)) 26.86^((±0.45)) 29.47^((±0.06))  −9.54 −2.61 −6.93 Sweet Orange 5 R3T7-Y 15.01^((±0.31)) 20.93^((±1.01)) 22.90^((±0.02))  −7.89 −1.97 −5.92 Dancy 6 R10T6 (N) 11.20^((±1.02)) 16.92^((±0.17)) 22.61^((±0.06)) −11.41 −5.69 −5.72 Tangerine Lemon 7 R11T11 12.76^((±0.21)) 17.93^((±0.81)) 23.16^((±0.14)) −10.40 −5.23 −5.17 Orangequat 8 R12T9 12.70^((±0.07)) 18.50^((±1.31)) 21.85^((±0.10))  −9.15 −3.35 −5.80 Pomelo 9 R8T1-GY 19.44^((±0.20)) 25.26^((±3.06)) 29.58^((±0.06)) −10.14 −4.32 −5.82 Pomelo 10 R8T1-M 14.52^((±0.16)) 20.04^((±1.52)) 24.80^((±0.12)) −10.28 −4.76 −5.52 Pomelo 11 R8T1-Y 26.16^((±0.26)) 32.45^((±0.30)) 36.47^((±0.55)) −10.31 −4.02 −6.29 Pomelo 12 R8T4-Y 12.90^((±0.35)) 18.87^((±1.29)) 21.89^((±0.07))  −8.99 −3.02 −5.97 Pomelo 13 R8T4-M 18.16^((±0.19)) 25.83^((±1.67)) 27.80^((±0.10))  −9.64 −1.97 −7.67 Pomelo 14 R8T1-11 27.43^((±0.24)) 35.50^(a) 37.99^((±0.82)) −10.56 −2.49 −8.07 Pomelo 15 R8T1-14 30.48^((±1.67)) 35.56^((±0.41)) ND N/A N/A −5.08 Pomelo 16 R8T1-15 28.78^((±0.33)) 34.08^((±0.71)) ND N/A N/A −5.30 Pomelo 17 R8T1-31 26.82^((±0.21)) 34.80^((±1.38)) ND N/A N/A −7.98 Pomelo 18 R8T1-72 26.60^((±0.29)) 33.04^((±0.71)) ND N/A N/A −6.44 Pomelo 19 R8T1-129 27.39^((±0.76)) 34.27^((±0.93)) ND N/A N/A −6.88 Pomelo 20 R8T1-130 24.89^((±0.11)) 30.20^((±0.30)) ND N/A N/A −5.31 Melogold 21 R8T3-M 15.84^((±0.87)) 21.03^((±0.70)) 24.93^((±0.17))  −9.09 −3.90 −5.19 hybrid Melogold 22 R8T3-Y 15.03^((±0.43)) 18.99^((±0.20)) 23.15^((±0.14))  −8.12 −4.16 −3.96 hybrid Melogold 23 R8T3-4 27.58^((±0.12)) 35.07^((±0.92)) ND N/A N/A −7.49 hybrid Melogold 24 R8T3-12 28.05^((±0.31)) 34.81^(a) ND N/A N/A −6.76 hybrid Melogold 25 R8T3-13 26.58^((±0.24)) 33.47^((±0.31)) ND N/A N/A −6.89 hybrid Melogold 26 R8T3-101 13.66^((±0.19)) 18.85^((±0.74)) 24.25^((±0.08)) −10.59 −5.40 −5.19 hybrid Melogold 27 R8T3-111 18.03^((±0.43)) 25.08^(a) 27.77^((±0.23))  −9.74 −2.69 −7.05 hybrid Melogold 28 R8T3-NT 26.32^((±0.28)) 33.47^((±0.23)) ND N/A N/A −7.15 hybrid ^(b) CA Rep. 29 #67 ND ND ND N/A N/A N/A Citrus Mean ΔCt→ −9.88^((±1.00)) −3.71 (±1.16) −6.27^((±1.04)) 82 N/A = Not Applicable ND = No Detection ^(a)Insufficient DNA precluding technical replicates, no reportable St. Dev. ^(b) CA Rep. Citrus (#67) = California Citrus Repository sample #67 is representative of >68 California Citrus repository samples tested, each being negative by these methods

Example 3

Primer sets LJ900fr (with SYBR Green 1) and LJ900fpr (with TaqMan®) final optimal primer concentrations are approximately 600 and 900 nanomolar (nM) of LJ900f and LJ900r respectively, with an addition of approximately 500 nM of LJ900p to the LJ900fpr. These ratios were determined via gridded-paired primer concentrations against the single repeat pLJ153.1 (having a minimum of three technical replicates per pairing). The optimal annealing temperature is 62 degrees C. for maximum efficiency for both LJ900fr and LJ900frp methods as determined via gradient temperature experiments.

Amplification settings for LJ900fr are, initial denaturation (one cycle) at approximately 95 degrees C. for approximately 3 minutes, followed by approximately 40 cycles at approximately 95 degrees C. for approximately 3 seconds, then approximately 62 degrees C. for approximately 30 seconds, with fluorescence signal capture at the end of each 62 degree C. step followed by a default melt (disassociation) stage. For LJ900fpr, amplification settings include, initial denaturation (one cycle) at approximately 95 degrees C. for approximately 30 seconds, with PCR cycling of approximately 40 cycles at approximately 95 degrees C. for approximately 3 seconds, then approximately 62 degrees C. for approximately 30 seconds and fluorescence signal capture at the end of each approximately 62 degree C. step. Reactions were run on the Applied Biosystems 7500 Fast real-time PCR system (Applied Biosystems (ABI), Foster City, Calif.). Cycle threshold (Ct) values were analyzed using ABI 7500 Software version 2.0.1 having a manually set threshold at approximately 0.1 with automated baseline settings used for all samples analyzed. Unless otherwise indicated, all DNA quantities for comparative samples by method were normalized at approximately 2 μl total per individual approximately 15 μl reaction (see Tables 7A-7D in Example 5 for 15 μl reaction setup).

Pursuant with the ABI tutorial document “Creating a Standard Curve with a Plasmid DNA Template” (ABI Support Tutorial, 2003) primer efficiency/standard curve evaluations of LJ900fr primers employed copy number standardized pLJ153.1 plasmid (n=approximately 202 bp total, insert approximately 271 bp) adjusted to 10⁶ copies/μl and serially diluted to single copy levels. The efficiency evaluations of LJ900fr were performed in triplicate (having approximately 3× replicates per decade dilution) from approximately 10⁶ to single copy in H₂O and with background DNA at approximately 50 ng/15 μl reaction of background Ca. L. asiaticus negative citrus DNA (FIG. 2).

Primer efficiency was determined by tenfold serial dilutions form approximately 10⁶-1 copy per approximately 15 μl reaction of pLJ153.1 in water (FIG. 2A) with additional spiking of approximately 50 ng per reaction of total Ca. L. asiaticus-negative citrus DNA. Using the plasmid for template, in water the LJ900 primers had an efficiency of approximately 100.91% (Slope=approximately −3.300, R²=approximately 0.999) (FIG. 2C) and with citrus background DNA present of approximately 100.59% (Slope=approximately −3.308, R²=approximately 0.999) (FIG. 2D).

Li et al in 2008, demonstrated the addition of background DNA levels at approximately 50 ng/μ1 in serial dilutions of template DNA that altered the detection threshold for low level target detection (Li, 2008). As Ca. L asiaticus detection employs unknown levels of host background DNA relative to Ca. L. asiaticus target within each sample that may be in excess of those previously tested levels, previous experiments were extended to determine the potential deleterious effects on cycle threshold detection that elevated relative background DNA levels for LJ900 detection. To do this, the background DNAs were increased to approximately 100 and 200 ng/15 μl reaction with control Ca. L. asiaticus negative citrus DNA to which pLJ153.1 (single repeat containing plasmid) was serially diluted from approximately 10⁶ to 1 copy for each background DNA level. From these, increases of one and three Ct's at the approximately 100 and 200 ng/15 μl reaction levels were observed respectively, relative to baseline detection at approximately 0 and 50 ng/15 μl reaction value from which no significant difference between approximately 0 and 50 ng/15 μl reactions for LJ900 primer efficiency was observed (data not shown). Further expanding this to a limit of detection, elevated interfering background DNA was increased of pLJ153.1 concentrations from approximately 10⁶ to one copy at each background concentration of interfering DNA at approximately 200, 500, and 1,000 ng/15 μl respectively. Commercially available salmon sperm DNA was substituted in lieu of Ca. L. asiaticus DNA because of ease of obtaining larger amounts of genomic DNA for all experiments. Substitution of salmon sperm DNA at approximately 200 ng/15 μl (approximately 200:1 background to target ratio) reaction demonstrated equivalent results previously described with native citrus DNA (data not shown), indicating background DNA source was not a critical factor. For single copy numbers of pLJ153.1, analytical detectability at approximately 50% positive detection for all replicates (approximately 50% of replicate wells were positive/negative) at approximately 500 ng total DNA/15 μl (approximately 500:1, salmon sperm DNA:pLJ153.1) occurred at approximately 36 Ct's whereas approximately 1,000 ng/15 μl reactions (approximately 1,000:1) exceeded the limit of detection for LJ900fr (data not shown). For levels in excess of single copy pLJ153.1 at the approximately 1,000 ng/15 μl reaction background DNA, the hyv_(I)/hyv_(II) repeat target was detected in all replicates. The mean change (Δ) in Ct from approximately 50 to 1,000 ng/15 μl reaction background (salmon sperm) for all diluted pLJ153.1/15 μl reaction levels was approximately +5.65 Ct's having a standard deviation of the difference from the mean CT (St.dev.) of approximately ±0.79 with no significant difference (P>0.05, P=0.984) in ΔCt between the dilutions. This suggests that the effect of interfering background DNA levels resulted in a common shift in Ct for each dilution and was not pLJ153.1 quantity dependent.

Example 4

All real-time PCR reactions were performed in MicroAmp® Fast Optical 96 well reaction plates (ABI) with MicroAmp Optical Adhesive Film (ABI) plate coverings using the same 7500 Fast real-time PCR system (ABI) accordingly at approximately 15 μl total reaction volumes. For TaqMan® real-time PCR reactions with the LJ900fpr method and the 16S rDNA standard for Ca. L. asiaticus detection HLBaspr, HLBampr (americanus), HLbafpr (africanus), or COXfpr (plant cytochrome oxidase) methods (Li et al., 2006), each used the ABI TagMan® Fast Universal PCR Master Mix (2×) No AmpErase® UNG (Applied Biosystems Inc, Foster City, Calif.). The EF-Ts gene targeting Single Tube Dual Primer TagMan® real-time PCR (Lin et al., 2010) (STDP) method employed ABI TaqMan® Universal PCR Master Mix (2×) (ABI). In SYBR Green 1 (SGI) real-time PCR reactions with LJ900fr, β-operon methods rplJAm (americanus) and rplLAs (asiaticus) (Teixeira et al, 2008), or HLBasr/SG1 employed PerfeCTa™ SYBR® Green FastMix™ 2× master-mix (Quanta Biosciences, Inc., Gaithersburg, Md.) and for comparison Promega GoTaq® real-time PCR Master Mix (Promega) was used.

Despite the established use of SG1 in real-time PCR (Zipper et al., Nucleic Acids Res., Volume 32, e103, 2004; Wittwer et al., Biotechniques, Volume 22, 176-181, 1997), concerns arise with respect to potential signal interference of SG1 bound non-targeted dsDNA species. As SG1 is nondiscriminatory, an analysis of potential background fluorescence with known Ca. L. asiaticus positive citrus host DNA (approximately 200 ng/reaction) was performed without (minus) LJ900 primers. Real-time observations indicated that within the first 1-3 cycles, apparent background fluorescence detection occurred, and was maintained stably throughout the course of the run; however, upon completion these were normalized to zero (observed observations) forming the baseline fluorescence for the samples.

Additionally, as SG1 allows a subsequent melt analysis to validate amplicon fidelity, FIG. 2B demonstrates associated curve profiles of multiple sample well analyses for LJ900fr using Perfecta SYBR Green FastMix producing a mean melt peak at approximately 75 degrees C. The melt curve remained consistent with little or no variance regardless of variable background DNA levels. This provides additional support that spurious fluorescence from host DNA species was not a factor in SG1 detection using LJ900fr.

Example 5

Total DNA extracts were isolated from midribs of citrus samples (Table 2 and Table 3) collected in the U.S. Horticulture Research Laboratory (USHRL) Picos Farm or USHRL maintained greenhouses in Fort Pierce, Fla., in accordance with standard DNeasy® Plant Mini Kit isolation protocols (Qiagen Inc., Valencia, Calif.). Midrib tissue samples were finely chopped, and approximately 0.2 g was placed into a sterilized 2 mL screw cap tube containing approximately two 4 mm Silicone-Carbide Sharp Particles and approximately four 2.3 mm Chrome-Steel Beads (BioSpec Products, Inc, Bartlesville, Okla.) on ice; approximately 800 μL of DNeasy® AP1 lysis buffer was added; and the tissues were homogenized by a FastPrep-24 System (MP Biomedicals, Solon, Ohio) for two successive rounds at approximately 6.5 M/S for approximately 45 seconds. Subsequent steps followed pursuant with the DNeasy® Plant Mini Kit protocol (Qiagen) from the ‘RNase A’ step. Citrus DNA samples from the USDA National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Citrus and Dates in Riverside, Calif. were isolated using either Plant DNeasy or MagAttract® 96 DNA Plant mini-prep systems pursuant with manufacturer's directions (Qiagen). Samples representing different counties in Florida (Table 5) and local M. paniculata plants were processed using DNeasy® DNA isolation for plant samples as described. Global citrus DNA samples (Table 6) were received directly as total DNA extracts by collaborators using a CTAB (Murray and Thompson, Nucleic Acids Res., Volume 8, 4321-4325, 1980) method.

Psyllids, Diaphorina citri, (Table 6 and Table 2) were processed for total DNA using phenol/chloroform extraction as described by Hung, et al 2004 (Hung et al., Plant Pathology, Volume 53, 96-102, 2004). DNA from bacterial strains: X. citri subsp. citri (Citrus Canker agent), X. axonopodis pv. citrumelo (agent of citrus bacterial spot), R. solanacearum (multi-host bacterial plant pathogen), and E. coli DH5α was isolated using the Promega Wizard® Genomic DNA Purification Kit (Promega Corporation, Madison, Wis.) in accordance with manufacturers' protocols. Total soil DNA extracts were isolated from approximately 1 g of soil/dirt in approximately 9 mL of approximately 1×PBS buffer that was vigorously vortexed for about 1 minute and approximately 1 mL aliquot was transferred to a sterile 1.5 mL micro-centrifuge tube and centrifuged at a low speed of approximately 1,000×g for about 10 minutes to pellet soil debris. Supernatant was transferred to a new sterile 1.5 mL micro-centrifuge tube and centrifuged at a high speed of approximately 20,000×g for about 10 minutes to pellet bacteria. Total DNA extracted from the bacterial pellet was processed using the Promega Wizard® Genomic DNA Purification Kit (Promega) in accordance with manufacturer's protocols. All DNA extracts were stored at approximately −80 degrees C. for use.

Comparisons between LJ900fr (SYBR Green I), LJ900fpr (TaqMan®), and HLBaspr (standard 16S rDNA-based TaqMan® ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ detection) protocols with a standardized (equal samples and quantities tested) sample set (Table 3) were performed. ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ bacterium was detected by all three methods in 18 of 29 samples (Table 3). By single factor ANOVA, significant differences (P<0.05) existed for cycle threshold detection between LJ900fr compared with LJ900fpr with P=3.9×10⁻⁴ and LJ900fr relative to HLBaspr with P=7.7×10⁻⁷. In Table 3, the average Ct difference between LJ900fr compared with these was approximately −3.71 (St. dev.±1.16) and −9.81 (St. dev.±1.02) Ct's for LJ900fpr and HLBaspr methods, respectively. Additionally, significant difference (P<0.05) existed between LJ900fpr and HLBaspr methods with P=4.1×10⁻² in comparative samples.

The STDP method showed no significant difference (P>0.05, P=0.993) to LJ900fr in ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ detection for samples: 1, 3-8, 13, and 26-28; however, STDP did not return a detectable signal (data not shown), for samples 2, 14-20, 23-25, and 29 where conversely LJ900fr and LJ900fpr returned average Ct's of 27.46 and 33.92, respectively.

Ten-fold serial dilution of a ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ positive citrus sample ‘VPCQ’ were comparatively tested by LJ900fr, LJ900fpr, and HLBaspr methods (Table 4). From approximately 10⁻¹ to 10⁻⁴ dilutions, each method detected the presence of ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’. At approximately 10⁻⁵, only LJ900fr and LJ900fpr were capable of detecting ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’. At approximately 10⁻⁶ and beyond, only LJ900fr was able to detect ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’. For approximately 10⁻⁸, none of these methods was capable of detecting ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’, indicating the reliability of low level target detection by LJ900 methods compared with HLBaspr.

COXfpr, a primer/probe set targeting the plant cytochrome oxidase, provides a reliable positive internal control targeting host plant DNA when used in multiplex real-time PCR (Li et al., 2006, supra). As shown in FIG. 3 lower gel, LJ900fpr (TagMan®) was used in multiplex real-time PCR in combination with the COXfpr primer/probe set (Table 1). As expected, the COXfpr produced a band of approximately 68 bp while LJ900fpr produced a band of approximately 100 bp (FIG. 3). Neither PCR amplification efficiency, nor specificity relative to standard singleplex real-time PCR with LJ900fpr was affected by the multiplexing reaction (data not shown).

A comparison of multiplex reactions using the internal plant control COXfpr with LJ900fpr or HLBaspr in multiplex reactions indicated no significant differences of COXfpr Ct values (Table 5). Consistent with the singleplex results of Table 3, LJ900fpr (in multiplex) yielded significantly different Ct values for ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ compared with HLBaspr for 15 DNA extracts from HLB suspects of field-grown sweet orange trees from 15 counties in Florida. Thirteen DNA extracts yielded lower Ct values for LJ900fpr than for HLBaspr, while two DNA extracts (#8 and #12) produced higher Ct values for LJ900fpr than for HLBaspr. This detection inconsistency may result from reduced numbers of tandem-repeat quantity per cell in the ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ populations within these samples. Sample #13 tested negative for ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ using HLBaspr but yielded a high Ct of approximately 37.59 using LJ900fpr.

To evaluate the potential of LJ900 primers in worldwide Liberibacter detection, globally derived DNA samples, including psyllid and citrus varieties from HLB infected regions of Brazil, China, the Philippines, India, and Thailand were tested. Table 6 indicates detection of Liberibacter within these samples by LJ900fr. Additionally, tests from alternate ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ infected hosts including periwinkle, dodder, and orange jasmine (Murraya paniculata) were performed. Positive detection of ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ in these samples indicated the presence of the hyv_(I)/hyv_(II) repeats in all DNA isolates of various origins and hosts evaluated (Table 6, or data not shown).

To investigate the presence of the hyv_(I)/hyv_(II) repeat sequence in other species of ‘Ca. Liberibacter’ (americanus and africanus), DNA samples from Brazil and South Africa were analyzed using LJ900fr in comparison with standard ‘Ca. L. americanus or africanus’ real-time PCR protocols: HLBampr and rplJAm for ‘Ca. L. americanus’, HLBafpr for ‘Ca. L. africanus’(Teixeira et al, 2008, supra; Li et al., 2006, supra). In addition to LJ900fr analysis, the use of alternate ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ detection methods HLBaspr, STDP, and rplLAs (Teixeria et al., 2008, supra; Li et al., 2006, supra; Lin et al, 2010, supra) were performed to aid in differentiating mixed Liberibacter populations. As shown in Table 6, Brazilian samples tested positive for hyv_(I)/hyv_(II) by LJ900fr. To determine the Liberibacter populations within these samples, the primer/probe sets rplJAm and HLBampr specific to ‘Ca. L americanus’ and those specific to ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ rplLAs, STDP, and HLBaspr were used. For these samples, Psy-Br12, Psy-Br17, Brazil-Amer.11, Ct values of 32.98, 21.74, 21.70 and 37.51, 25.35, 26.34 by rplJAm and HLBampr were obtained respectively; however, no detectable Ct values were observed by ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ methods rplLAs, STDP, and HLBaspr (data not shown). These data indicated that samples Psy-Br12, Psy-Br17, and Brazil-Amer.11 contained exclusive ‘Ca. L. americanus’ populations and that the presence of the hyv_(I)/hyv_(II) repeat was indicated. The Brazil ‘AM’ citrus sample (Table 6, sample #4) indicated a mixed population of ‘Ca. L. americanus’ and ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ by these same real-time methods (data not shown).

The investigation of ‘hyv_(I)/hyv_(II)-like’ repeat sequence within ‘Ca. L. africanus’ was limited to a single African sample—‘Laf 2’. The presence ‘Ca. L. africanus’ within ‘Laf 2’ sample was confirmed by HLBafpr having a Ct value of 23.77 (St. dev.±0.13); however, repeated LJ900fr tests failed to produce positive amplification for the hyv_(I)/hyv_(II) sequence, indicating that the hyv_(I)/hyv_(II) repeat region was either lacking or of a variant sequence type within the ‘Ca. L. africanus’ ‘Laf 2’ sample.

Citrus seedlings grown from seeds derived from previously positive HLB citrus varieties including: pomelo, trifoliate, grapefruit, and sweet orange along with USHRL reared ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ free psyllids (D. citri) fed solely upon these seedlings, were tested for the presence of the hyv_(I)/hyv_(II) repeat by LJ900fr. Table 2 lists a representative sample set from these seedling or seedling fed psyllids, indicating detection by LJ900fr for the hyv_(I)/hyv_(II) repeat ranging from approximately 23 to no detectable cycle threshold.

The addition of an internal probe to forward and reverse primer pairs for real-time PCR is considered to provide greater amplicon specificity relative to non-probe based methods. To determine the relative detection of the LJ900fpr, a comparative analysis of selected samples (Table 3) with LJ900fpr verses LJ900fr and HLBaspr methods was performed. LJ900fpr returned an average 3.71 (St. dev.±1.04) Ct's earlier than HLBaspr yet it was on average 6.27 (St. dev.±1.04) Ct's later in detection than LJ900fr for these samples (Table 3).

To determine the SYBR Green 1 effect in-lieu-of the TaqMan® probe (HLBp) of HLBaspr, SG1 was substituted into the reaction for analysis of Table 3 samples 6, 10, and 11. An average ΔCT (HLBasr/SG1—HLBaspr) of −4.29 (St. dev.±0.13) reduction (earlier detection) in cycle threshold detection was obtained when SG1 was substituted for the TaqMan® probe, indicating a significant reduction/earlier cycle detection using SYBR Green 1 in these primers in-lieu-of the TaqMan HLBp probe for these samples. Further testing of HLBasr/SG1 with HLBaspr undetectable Table 3 samples 17, 18, and 20, resulted in a mean cycle threshold detection of 35.51 (St. dev.±0.39) for sample 17; while samples 18 and 20 remained non-detectable even by HLBasr/SG1.

As the proprietary contents of commercial master mixes vary in formulation from one company to another, a comparison was made with respect to LJ900fr using two alternate mixes. Testing of pLJ153.1 at dilutions of 10⁵ to 10³ with the Promega GoTaq® real-time PCR master mix verses the PerfeCTa SYBR Green FastMix from Quanta Biosciences under the same conditions (on the same plate) indicated a statistically significant difference in detection levels by these master mixes. The GoTaq® at 10⁵, 10⁴, and 10³ dilutions returned Ct's of: 16.83 (St. dev.±0.09), 20.32 (St. dev.±0.07), and 24.28 (St. dev.±0.05), respectively. Quanta FastMix returned Ct's of: 16.53 (St. dev.±0.13), 19.85 (St. dev.±0.10), and 23.32 (St. dev.±0.30) for these same sample dilutions. Single factor ANOVA at 95% confidence interval returned a statistically significant difference between these mixes (P<0.05) at each dilution (10⁵ at P=8.0×10⁻³, 10⁴ at P=6.6×10⁻⁶, and 10³ at P=7.4×10⁻⁵, respectively) with the Quanta returning the lowest detectable thresholds under these conditions. However, the Promega GoTaq melt curve analyses indicated a greater than 2× derivative reporter (−Rn) value relative to the same melt analyses of the Quanta FastMix comparative samples (FIG. 4), a potentially useful attribute for high-resolution melt analyses applications.

TABLE 4 Real-time PCR comparison of ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ dilution sample detection by LJ900fr, LJ900fpr, and HLBaspr methods Sample ‘VPCQ’ Mean Ct value by Method (±St. dev. Mean Ct) Dilutions LJ900fr Ct LJ900fpr Ct HLBaspr Ct 10⁻¹ 15.90^((±0.05)) 21.65^((±0.38)) 25.64^((±0.06)) 10⁻² 19.30^((±0.09)) 24.93^((±0.07)) 28.88^((±0.08)) 10⁻³ 22.94^((±0.06)) 29.11^((±0.02)) 32.29^((±0.05)) 10⁻⁴ 26.00^((±0.03)) 32.67^((±0.21)) 34.98^((±0.08)) 10⁻⁵ 28.78^((±0.10)) 35.72^((±0.29)) ND 10⁻⁶ 32.70^((±0.23)) ND ND 10⁻⁷ +/− ND ND 10⁻⁸ ND ND ND ND = No Detection +/− = Greater than 50% amplification detected within replicates but less than 100% positive

TABLE 5 Comparison of multiplex TaqMan real-time PCR based on hyv_(I)/hyv_(II) repeat and 16S rDNA genes of ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ ^(a)Florida Citrus TaqMan qPCR Ct 16S rDNA TaqMan qPCR Ct Sample LJ900fpr ^(b)COXfpr HLBaspr ^(b)COXfpr 1 20.71 18.12 24.93 18.46 2 19.67 17.50 23.69 17.77 3 18.72 17.77 22.15 17.59 4 19.99 16.81 22.32 17.28 5 20.26 20.18 22.16 20.30 6 17.86 17.93 22.18 18.16 7 23.44 19.51 25.83 20.07 8 39.05 17.59 34.89 17.70 9 20.43 18.26 23.50 18.36 10 22.40 18.72 25.19 18.62 11 36.50 18.92 37.12 18.74 12 38.71 17.72 34.03 17.42 13 37.59 18.20 0.00 19.30 14 23.36 18.46 27.07 18.57 15 37.28 19.53 39.54 19.17 Mean Ct 25.59 18.35 27.47 18.50 ^(a)DNA extracts are from foliar midrib of HLB-symptomatic sweet orange trees from field in 15 counties of Florida ^(b)The TaqMan primer/probe set COXfpr was based on plant cytochrome oxidase (COX)

TABLE 6 LJ900fr real-time PCR hyv_(I)/hyv_(II) repeat detection within citrus, psyllid, and Murraya hosts from global origins Mean Ct value Sample (±St. dev. Mean Ct) Host Origin # Name LJ900fr Ct Psyllid (D. citri) Brazil 1 ^(a)Psy-Br12 17.41 Psyllid (D. citri) Brazil 2 ^(a)Psy-Br17 19.13 Psyllid (D. citri) Brazil 3 ^(a)Brazil-Amer.11 27.82 Citrus Brazil 4 Brazil ‘AM’ 23.33^((±0.15)) Tangerine Fujian, China 5 C18—CH 17.14^((±0.17)) Tangerine Fujian, China 6 C2—CH 22.09^((±2.01)) Kumquat Fujian, China 7 C3—CH 23.71^((±0.09)) Citrus Fujian, China 8 Cha12 21.37^((±2.86)) Psyllid (D. citri) Fujian, China 9 ^(a)Ch.Psy1-1 28.28 Psyllid (D. citri) Fujian, China 10 Ch.Psy1-10 18.69^((±1.14)) Psyllid (D. citri) Fujian, China 11 ^(a)Ch.Psy1-2 22.31 Psyllid (D. citri) Philippines 12 F3957.1 18.84^((±0.02)) Psyllid (D. citri) Philippines 13 F3957.18 11.91^((±7.83)) Psyllid (D. citri) Philippines 14 F3957.2 14.80^((±0.74)) Psyllid (D. citri) Philippines 15 F3957.21 19.82^((±0.27)) Psyllid (D. citri) Philippines 16 F3957.4 10.58^((±0.97)) Citrus India 17 ^(a)#25 20.91 Citrus India 18  #17 30.74^((±0.12)) Citrus India 19  #18 28.86^((±0.50)) Psyllid (D. citri) India 20 01.01.10 #1 18.82^((±0.16)) Psyllid (D. citri) India 21 01.01.10 #2 19.53^((±0.38)) Tangerine Thailand 22 08.14.09.2 11.41^((±5.52)) Psyllid (D. citri) Thailand 23 ^(a)Thai Psy.2 25.49 Psyllid (D. citri) Thailand 24 ^(a)Thai Psy.4 24.64 Psyllid (D. citri) Thailand 25 ^(a)Thai Psy.26 21.50 Psyllid (D. citri) Thailand 26 ^(a)Thai Psy.28 25.54 Psyllid (D. citri) Thailand 27 ^(a)Thai Psy.32 24.69 Psyllid (D. citri) Thailand 28 ^(a)Thai Psy.38 24.86 Psyllid (D. citri) Thailand 29 ^(a)Thai Psy.39 24.95 Psyllid (D. citri) Thailand 30 ^(a)Thai Psy.41 25.15 Murraya (M. paniculata) Florida, USA 31 M3 33.12^((±0.55)) Murraya (M. paniculata) Florida, USA 32 M14 33.61^((±1.76)) Murraya (M. paniculata) Florida, USA 33 M16 33.06^((±0.33)) Murraya (M. paniculata) Florida, USA 34 M62 32.55^((±1.90)) ^(a)Insufficient DNA quantities precluding technical replicates, therefore no St. Dev. is reported

TABLE 7A qPCR TaqMan ® 15 μL total reaction components for LJ900 Series primers 96 Well Reaction General Single reaction volume Single sample Reaction Volumes Components Information (15 μL total) 1.1X^(a) Correction (w/1.1X correction) TaqMan ® 2x Master Mix 7.50 μL 8.25 μL 792.0 μL Forward Primer 6 μM working stock 1.50 μL 1.65 μL 158.4 μL Reverse Primer 9 μM working stock 1.50 μL 1.65 μL 158.4 μL TaqMan ® Probe 5 μM working stock 1.50 μL 1.65 μL 158.4 μL H₂O Pure/Nuclease free ^(b)2.00 or 1.00 μL ^(b, c)2.30 or 1.30 μL 124.8 μL Template gDNA, plasmid, etc ^(b)1.00 or 2.00 μL ^(b, d)1.00 or 2.00 μL Variable (1.0 or 2.0 μL per well) ^(a)1.1X correction to compensate for pipette tip liquid retention, excess allows for enough reagents to ensure full reaction coverage with minimal overrun ^(b)Volume is dependent upon user, for example H₂O varies depending upon DNA volume per reaction ^(c)1.1X H₂O correction includes added factor from DNA ^(d)DNA to remain at constant final volume without additional correction factor (1.1X DNA correction factor added to H₂O)

TABLE 7B *FAST qPCR Cycle settings for LJ900 Series TaqMan ® Liberibacter detection primers Stage/Step Temperature Time Cycles/Reps Initial Denaturation Stage 1 1 Step 1 95° C.  20 Sec.† PCR Cycling Stage 2 40 Step 1 95° C. 3 sec. Step 2^(‡) 62° C. 30 sec.  *Settings listed are derived from an ABI FAST 7500 qPCR machine, end user may require slight alterations to these settings to fit specific qPCR machine requirements †Initial Denaturation time is chemistry dependent (see master mix settings) ^(‡)Data Collection step

TABLE 7C qPCR SYBR ® Green 15 μl total reaction components for LJ900 Series primers or 96 well format 96 Well Reaction General Single reaction volume Single sample Reaction Volumes Components Information (15 μL total) 1.1X^(a) Correction (w/1.1X correction) SYBR ® Green 2x Master Mix 7.50 μl 8.25 μl 792.0 μl Forward Primer 6 μM working stock 1.50 μl 1.65 μl 158.4 μl Reverse Primer 9 μM working stock 1.50 μl 1.65 μl 158.4 μl H₂O Pure/Nuclease free  ^(b)3.5 or 2.50 μl ^(b, c) 3.95 or 2.95 μl 283.2 μl Template e.g. gDNA, cDNA, etc ^(b)1.00 or 2.00 μl ^(b, d)1.00 or 2.00 μl Variable (1.0 or 2.0 μl per well) ^(a)1.1X correction to compensate for pipette tip liquid retention, excess allows for enough reagents to ensure full reaction coverage with minimal overrun ^(b)Volume is dependent upon user, for example H₂O varies depending upon DNA volume per reaction ^(c) 1.1X H₂O correction includes added 0.2 μl from DNA, (2.5 × 1.1 = 2.75 + 0.2 [from DNA correction] = 2.95 μl) ^(d)DNA to remain at constant final volume without additional correction factor of +0.2 μl (2.0 × 1.1 = 2.2 μl)

TABLE 7D qPCR Machine Settings for intercalation dye method: *FAST qPCR Cycle settings for LJ900 Series Ca. Liberibacter detection primers with intercalation dye e.g. SYBR ® Green Stage/Step Temperature Time Cycles/Reps Initial Denaturation Stage 1  1 Step 1 95° C. 5 min.^(§) PCR Cycling Stage 2 40 Step 1 95° C. 3 sec. Step 2^(‡) 62° C. 30 sec. Melt/Disassociation^(†) Stage 3 N/A Step 1 95° C. 15 sec. Step 2 62° C. 1 min. Step 3 97° C. 15 sec. *Settings listed are derived from an ABI FAST 7500 qPCR machine, end user may require slight alterations to these settings to fit specific qPCR machine requirements ^(§)Initial denaturation time can vary depending on SYBR ® Green master mix recommended time for denaturation; however, we recommend no fewer than 5 min. for initial denaturation as the targeted gene contains multiple (identical or near identical) repeats ^(‡)Data Collection step ^(†)HIGHLY Recommended step (end user option to run) requires ~30 min. to complete per single 96 well plate, MELT/DISASSOCIATION TEMPERATURE FOR LJ900 ENDPRODUCT: ~74.8° C. using Quanta FastMix SYBR Green 1, however melt will vary with alternate SYBR Green master mix formulations. NOTE: Each run should include appropriate positive, negative and no template controls (a.k.a. NTC's) for individual data results verification.

All publications and patents mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

The foregoing detailed description and certain representative embodiments and details of the invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description of the invention. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art that modifications and variations may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention. 

1-39. (canceled)
 40. A kit for detecting the presence of Candidatus Liberibacter species in a plant or insect host comprising (i) a first polynucleotide, wherein said first polynucleotide has a sequence consisting essentially of SEQ ID NO.: 1; (ii) a second polynucleotide, wherein said second polynucleotide has a sequence consisting essentially of SEQ ID NO.: 2; and (iii) reagents for DNA amplification; wherein said first polynucleotide and said second polynucleotide bind to DNA in said Candidatus Liberibacter species and are used in a DNA amplification method.
 41. The kit of claim 40, further comprising a detector molecule for identifying production of amplified DNA.
 42. The kit of claim 41, wherein said detector molecule is selected from the group consisting of a fluorescent reporter dye and a DNA intercalation dye.
 43. The kit of claim 41, wherein said detector molecule is a fluorescent reporter dye, a quencher dye, and a probe consisting essentially of SEQ ID NO: 3 or the reverse complement thereof, wherein said fluorescent reporter dye and said quencher dye are linked to said probe.
 44. The kit of claim 40, wherein said Candidatus Liberibacter species is Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus.
 45. A plasmid comprising a polynucleotide consisting essentially of SEQ ID NO:
 28. 46. A kit for detecting the presence of Candidatus Liberibacter species in a plant or insect host comprising (i) at least one first polynucleotide, wherein said first polynucleotide consists essentially of the reverse complementary sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 1; (ii) at least one second polynucleotide, wherein said second polynucleotide consists essentially of the reverse complementary sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 2; and (iii) reagents for DNA amplification; wherein said first polynucleotide and said second polynucleotide bind to DNA in said Candidatus Liberibacter species and are used in a DNA amplification method.
 47. The kit of claim 46, further comprising a detector molecule for identifying production of amplified DNA.
 48. The kit of claim 47, wherein said detector molecule is selected from the group consisting of a fluorescent reporter dye and a DNA intercalation dye.
 49. The kit of claim 47, wherein said detector molecule is a fluorescent reporter dye, a quencher dye, and a probe consisting essentially of SEQ ID NO: 3 or the reverse complement thereof, wherein said fluorescent reporter dye and said quencher dye are linked to said probe.
 50. The kit of claim 46, wherein said Candidatus Liberibacter species is Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. 